


Not Fragile

by Novelist_Becca



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Apologies, Canon Compliant, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Don't interpret this as a ship, Encouragement, Found Family, Gen, Good Parent Eda Clawthorne, Heart-to-Heart Talks, Hurt/Comfort, I needed SOMETHING to explain the mood change in episode 17, Luz Noceda Needs a Hug, Luz Noceda has ADHD, Luz needs some love, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Post-Episode: s01e16 Enchanting Grom Fright, Sad Luz Noceda, Self-Indulgent, give her some encouragement gdi, reassurance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:22:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28492338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Novelist_Becca/pseuds/Novelist_Becca
Summary: “But don’t you still think I’m too weak and fragile to be a real witch?”“Wha- no, of course not, Luz. What gave you that idea?”
Relationships: Eda Clawthorne & Luz Noceda
Comments: 5
Kudos: 131





	Not Fragile

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Mama's Fun Night Out](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28368189) by [TheFoolsYouSee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFoolsYouSee/pseuds/TheFoolsYouSee). 



> A Grom fic that isn't Lumity? :O 
> 
> I wrote this because I wanted Luz to have some flippin' reassurance after what happened. I'm a sucker for her and Eda's dynamic anyway.

“Hey.”

Luz looked up from her phone to see Eda standing in the doorway. She held Luz’s Grom crown in her hand and a concerned look on her face. 

“Hey…” was Luz’s only reply. Even after that amazing dance, even though it was over, the last thing she wanted was Eda’s criticism or even pity. But she closed the window and scooted over to give her some room anyway.

Eda placed the crown on top of the chest. “Had to get it off of King while he was asleep. ...And him off me.” She said with a chuckle. “Anyway, thought you might wanna talk about what uh, happened?” added Eda as she sat on the windowsill beside Luz. It may be outside her comfort zone, but Eda disliked seeing her apprentice this...down.

Luz’s shoulders tensed and she looked away from her mentor. “I know, I know, you told me so.” She grumbled. “I know I was  _ stupid _ , okay?” Luz clenched her fists. 

Eda was taken aback. Was she really that hurt by her statement that afternoon? “What? No, no, that’s not why I’m here at all.” She tried to reassure her. But Luz still looked glum. “I wanted to say that I’m proud of you after tonight. You and that Blight kid did amazing.” Luz only relaxed slightly. “I know I said it before, but you did good.” Eda concluded with a slight smile.

Finally, the girl unclenched her fists and sat up straight. She inhaled. “Thanks.” She said. Then she looked at Eda. “But don’t you still think I’m too weak and fragile to be a real witch?” Honestly, Luz appreciated the praise, but it still didn’t feel like Eda believed in her. But the older witch looked surprised and shook her head.

“Wha-  _ no _ , of course not, Luz. What gave you that idea?” Eda asked. Yes, she called Luz fragile earlier, but she didn’t mean it like Luz was weak. In fact, she has so much potential as a witch, despite being a human!

Luz gave her an incredulous look. “You said I was fragile. I didn’t just fight Grom because I didn’t want Amity to get hurt, I wanted to prove you wrong. I thought I could, but I guess I messed that up too.” She finished with a sigh and looked away and said under her breath,  _ “Just like I mess up everything else…” _

“Luz…”

“That giant illusion of you that was outside when I was training? It said I was inadequate. I know it wasn’t real, but maybe it was right.” Luz slumped in her seat, avoiding Eda’s eyes once again. Her expression didn’t change. “And I still proved you right, didn’t I? I went overboard again, and you almost had to save me. I’m  _ sorry _ .” Luz remembered the  _ embarrassment _ she felt when she ran from her worst fear...like a coward. Everyone on the Boiling Isles thinks humans are weak, and she just proved their point. 

For a moment, Eda didn’t say anything. So, one of Luz’s fears was...disappointing her? Not being good enough? Well, that could be one of the reasons why Grom almost took her form in the arena. Other than the beast. And as much as it hurt, Eda couldn’t really blame the kid for thinking like that. But it’s not as if she didn’t believe in her.

“Luz,” Eda began. “I…I didn’t mean it like that. I don’t think you’re weak, or inadequate, or stupid, or  _ anything _ like that! I just…” She put a hand on Luz’s shoulder. “I didn’t want you to get hurt by running headfirst into danger again. I’m sorry that I made you think that.”

Luz met her mentor’s eyes again. “I still ran, though. Like a coward.” 

“You’re  _ not _ a coward, Luz, you never were.” Eda sighed. “Look...King was right. I  _ was _ too hard on you. Clearly I was wrong. You’re talking as if you didn’t defeat Grom, but you  _ did _ . Look- look at it this way! You  _ could _ defeat Grom, you just needed a push from a certain someone.”

Luz thought about that. She’s not wrong. She defeated Grom with Amity, and in the  _ coolest _ way, too! “Yeah, guess you’re right.” She said with a fond smile. A part of her wonders how Amity is handling things.

“You see?” Eda said with a smile. “I’m so sorry I ever doubted you, Luz. Now, you  _ didn’t _ disappoint me. In fact…” She kneeled down in front of Luz and put both hands on her shoulders. “You made me  _ proud _ . So don’t beat yourself up just because you couldn’t face your fear on your own. You of all people should know it’s okay to have help. And I know your little friends believe in you just as much as I do."

Luz responded by smiling and putting a hand on one of Eda’s. She was right. True, she wasn't ready to fight Grom, but she had help in the end. It doesn't make her weak. She knows that.

“And…you’re not  _ that  _ fragile, okay? I remember how you saved me and King from multiple monsters. I just wish you didn't face  _ this _ one. You’re brave, and I respect that.” Eda admitted.

“Thanks Eda.” 

“But don't take this as an excuse to keep running into danger, okay?” Eda added. She swears this kid’s gonna be the death of her. 

“Hah, no promises…” Luz muttered. 

“And don't think you'll never be a real witch. You…you have a lot of potential.” Added Eda. 

With that, Luz wrapped her arms around the witch in another one of her tight hugs. As usual, it surprised her, but she awkwardly patted her head.

“Thank you, Eda…I needed to hear that.” The girl mumbled into her mentor’s suit.

“Eh, don't mention it.” Eda said. And as they pulled apart, she hesitantly asked, “Do I want to know what you saw back there?” After that mushy heart-to-heart, maybe it would help Luz to talk about it?

Luz looked to the side, thinking. “Mmm…” Eda  _ had _ reassured her that she's not weak for not facing her worst fear, but she was afraid of what Eda might think if she said it was her  _ mother _ she was running from. 

_ No,  _ Luz thought.  _ Didn't you just face her earlier by actually texting her? If you can get over that, you can talk to Eda. You can trust her.  _

“It's okay if you don't want to right now, I'm sure it's--”

“It was my mom.” Luz admitted. 

Eda took her spot next to Luz again, ready to listen. “Your…mom?” A part of her worried that Luz’s mother couldn’t be a good person if she's her kid’s worst fear. 

“Okay- well, technically, I don't fear  _ her,  _ just…her finding out I'm not in the human realm.” Luz said, trying to find the right words. God, when she thought about it, Grom is like a form of messed up therapy. Like that one show back home about a magic train. But at least Grom doesn't force you to stay aboard if you don't prove you're ready. 

_ Is that why Principal Bump made it a school event? Therapy?  _ Luz put that thought aside for later.

“Well…you say she doesn't know you're here. Where does she think you are?” Eda encouraged. 

Luz continued. “Remember the first day I came here, when I said 'I'm not going to summer camp?’”

“Yeah?” 

“So…my mom wanted me to go to this summer camp to uh, help me separate fantasy from reality. I took something too far at home, and I think it was her way of trying to make me ‘normal’.” Luz said, rolling her eyes making quotation signs with her fingers. 

“Heh. Sounds a looot like the conformitorium.” Added the older witch. 

_ Dammit, Eda, not helping.  _ She knew Luz was weird, Hell, Eda was weird too, but it doesn't make sense to send her away. Even if Eda was more than happy to have Luz here. 

“It does. But I know she was doing it for my own good. I think she just wanted me to have real friends. I just don't wanna know what she’ll think if she finds out I'm lying to her.” Luz thought back to the texts she sent to her mom. Technically she wasn't  _ lying  _ when she said she liked it here and the longer text she sent before Eda came in _ ,  _ but still… “If she knows I kept a secret from her, who knows what she'll think of me? Of this  _ place _ ?”

Eda thought for a moment. She never asked about Luz’s personal life before, but now that she knows a little bit, it feels like a piece of a puzzle fell into place. 

“…I may not know her, but I don't think she'll hate you for not telling the truth. I know I wouldn't.” Eda said. 

“You mean it?” 

“‘Course I do. I meant everything else, too. Don't doubt that.” She said reassuringly. Luz responded with another awkward hug, and the events of tonight must've finally caught up to her because the kid’s eyes were starting to droop when she pulled away. 

“Alright, how about we both settle in for the night, kiddo? You look tired.” Eda pointed out. 

Luz yawned and nodded. “Mmh. Good idea.” 

Eda stood up and headed for the door, and then saying, “And Luz, if you ever need to talk, about anything…I'm here. I'm no good at this kind of stuff, but I wanna help.” 

“Thanks, Eda. For everything.” Luz answered with her usual genuine smile. And with that, Eda left and closed the door behind her. 

Luz has  _ no _ idea how much she means to her and King, but Eda will make sure to let her know.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this self indulgence! 
> 
> By the way, for anybody that's curious as to why I deleted "I'm on Your Side", I wanted to tweak it a little bit, and then reupload it.


End file.
